A former Catholic nun tapped by Mayor de Blasio to help solve the Big Apple’s growing homeless problem is resigning from a $222,182-a-year job as deputy mayor to accept a non-paying post chairing the city’s Health and Hospitals Corporation.
Lilliam Barrios-Paoli — who previously worked under the Koch, Giuliani and Bloomberg administrations before being hired as de Blasio’s deputy mayor of health and human services in January 2014 – announced Monday night through a press release that she is leaving City Hall at the end of September.
“To me, it’s an odd move given the stature of a deputy mayor versus chairing the HHC board,” said Angelo Falcon, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy, who’s been critical of de Blasio for not appointing enough Hispanics to high-level positions in the administration.
“This is a big surprise to me,” added Falcon. “She’s one of the more capable people in this administration.”
Mayor de Blasio in a statement said Barrios-Paoli’s “experience in government and devotion to social services are unparalleled, and she will be dearly missed at City Hall.”
Barrios-Paoli thanked the mayor for “the opportunity to be part of his extraordinary team,” adding she is “looking forward to joining and chairing the HHC Board.”
Barrios, who is already an HHC board member, served in the Koch and Giuliani administrations before becoming the commissioner of aging in 2008 under Bloomberg. The Mexico native was tapped by de Blasio to oversee the city’s health and social-service agencies and expand community health clinics.
Councilman Corey Johnson (D-Manhattan) — who chairs the Council’s health committee — Tweeted, “Heartbroken & in denial over departure of Lilliam Barrios-Paoli – has not been a bigger champion for NYC’s most vulnerable over last 40 yrs.”